Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-26
PITCHED OVER A PRECIPICE.
A Lady Falls 400 Feet and AliGhts
Unhurt in the Snow.

From the Nel0 York Sun.
CHICAGO, ILL, Jan. 23.-Mrs. T. j.
| Townsley, the Chicago lady who was in
the stage coach that toppled down indie
pendence Pass, in Colorado, last month,
arrived in this city yesterday. Mrs.
Townsley says:
"At dsybreak on Dee. l6 was awak-
ened at my hotel in Lesdville and in
formed that the Aspen stage coach was
waiting for me. 1t was bitter cold, and
was showing so hard that the driver had
to pilot me to the coach. | had on a
heavy double-fold dress, a sealskin
sacque, Buffalo robe pinned over my
shoulders, my head covered by fur cap,
and my face enveloped in shawl, allow
ing an aperture for my eyes. Despite all
these projections l was frightfully cold q.
The coach was dawn by six horses and
was on wheels. We were preceded by
the Granite coach, which was on runners.
The road over Elk Mountain will admit OF
but a single coach passing. At the
apex OF the mountain the Granite coach
halted in station bias led out OF the rock
and allowed us to 20 ahead. Here IN
descent began. The road at this point
runs at an incline of - dogs. The driver
put on his lock-chain to the wheels, thus
virtually converting them into runners.
The vehicle, despite these precautions,
and by its own weight, went down al
friRhttul pace. We could barely keep our
seats. We balanced ourselves as best we
could. Running up from the truck and
through the box OF the coach was per-
pendicular bar of steel called the king
pin. ciunG TO this, aud managed 10 keep
myself right side up. Down the narrow
with the horses IN mad gallop to keep
the coach from running them down. We
were rounding Independence Pass when
suddenly the driver cried:
Jump, jump Tor your
He never finished the sentence. He
had been holding the coach as near the
emUankment as the narrow pass would
permit. Ahead of MIN he saw heavy
boulder tOpple and fall down the noun
tain side aud into the path. This caused
him to make the cry of warning. The
obstruction was but twenty yards ahead
OF him, and II VAS beyond human power
to stay the impetus the coach mad COTTON
coming down the Incline. | saw the
driver leap. Inside We all held on TO the
kin2-pin. Down we went, and IN another
instant the forward wheels struck the
rock. The hind part OF the coach was
thrown forward and outward, and the
king-pin snapped like a reed. The box.
with all in it, went over the precipice on
its side, and through the window | fell
out. Less fortunate than myself, the
coach and my fellow tourists LODGED in a
creyice on the size of the precipice some
$50 feet below the road. l was thrown
out with such force that | cleared this
crag aud kept on and down the fun 400
feet to the bedl3f the canyon and. into
bank OF snow, cutting my way into it,
as if 1t was wafer, mead first.
"The Granite coach Just TO the rear of
mil led IutO a
the driver and some prospectOrs gut Gus
and began to climb down to where | had
lodged. Armed with shovels, they began
to dig me out, and it is cunous TO relate
that the only hesn wound | received wa
from the blade OF q shovel, which piOwed
up s furroW in my ankle when they
reached me. | was finally dug out, UNI
conscious, and to all Appearances dead.
RestOratives were administered, and
was taken up and carried TO the toll
house at the head Of the cliff. Here M
hands and limbs were rubbed, aud my
face slapped until my cheeks were raw.
But all to no avail. | Was black in the
face, and there was no audible or visible
respiration. | was left in the care of the
toll keeper and the Granite coach passen-
gers. while the two drivers started Tor
Aspen, thirteen miles distant, to summon
surgical aid. One OF the party returned
al midnight with doctor. In the mean
time | had revived, sustaining no other
injuries than the cut inflicted by the
shoVel,V